Friday, Independence Day Eve, a Philadelphia resident held a Benjamin Franklin lookalike contest. Through fliers, Reddit posts, and grassroots efforts, she garnered a larger-than-expected crowd of people cosplaying as Benjamin Franklin, which made for quite the competition.
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But here’s the kicker: The winner of the contest was a Black woman. Yes, you read that correctly.
Hey, if Lin-Manuel Miranda can do it with “Hamilton,” why is anyone surprised that this is a thing?
A black woman was named the winner of a Benjamin Franklin look-alike contest held in Philadelphia on Friday.
Dozens of participants dressed as the Founding Fathers gathered at Independence Mall on the eve of Independence Day, wearing powdered wigs, bifocals, and 18th-century-style clothing. Contestants each paid $1 to enter, with the winner receiving the prize pool.
The chattering class on social media is talking about “clown world” and DEI. They are short-sighted takes in my mind.
If we get past the “look” and get to the heart of who Franklin was, it makes perfect sense why she won.
Franklin was a polymath, yet he only had two years of what at that time would be considered a formal education. But as an avid reader and lifelong learner, he went on to excel in a number of fields: science, writing, politics, and diplomacy. It’s also representative of who Franklin was: He believed in liberty to the marrow, and was also an abolitionist who authored one of the first anti-slavery petitions in Congress. So, in my mind, Franklin, as well as the other founders, would have been more than pleased with this contest and its outcome.
Also, check out the photos below and from this local Philly publication. There is nothing but joy, happiness, and what the Left loves to spout about but never succeeds at: diversity. The organizer was a Jewish woman, for Pete’s sake. This story is chef’s kiss and very much represents the “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” written in our Declaration of Independence.
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We are living in ridiculous times where truth is ignored for the sake of virtue signaling, every single time.
A black woman won Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin look a like contest.
So, a black woman looked most like a white founding father? pic.twitter.com/Kb5XhNOZVU
— Kentucky Girl (@Notwokenow) July 5, 2026
Yes, this girl did embody Franklin’s essence, and no one was upset about it. Two things: One, people love our country and love celebrating our founders and independence in fun and unique ways — doesn’t matter what their race, color, creed, or social standing.
Two, it is clear that the winner, Kiya Burgess, never assumed, Well, I can’t do this because I don’t look like Benjamin Franklin and as a white man, he doesn’t represent me. Burgess very well knew that Benjamin Franklin represented her and that she could embody his ingenuity, creativity, spirit, and essence through this fun cosplay. Burgess was rightly proud of her accomplishments, and surprised as anyone that she had won.
WATCH:
🚨BREAKING🚨 A black woman in Philadelphia won the July 4th Ben Franklin look-a-like contest. pic.twitter.com/zy2T1Yoppa
— David Santa Carla 🦇 (@TheOnlyDSC) July 4, 2026
The contest was won by Philadelphia resident Kiya Burgess, who accepted the prize while surrounded by fellow contestants dressed like Benjamin Franklin. With a kite in her hand, she was declared the winner.
“I love cosplay. I love dressing up, and I already had this costume, so I just wanted to come and show everyone what I made because I like to sew, and this is one of my first costumes,” Burgess told the outlet.
The event was hosted by Elena Jackendoff, who placed fliers for the event around the city and wasn’t expecting such a large turnout.
“Clearly I only made 10 numbers and then, oh, here’s a horde of people ready and willing and thrilled to participate. And so it really exceeded all expectations I could have possibly had,” Jackendoff said.
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This is America, and akin to what Benjamin Franklin and the other founders intended.
Rock on, Kiya Burgess.
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